Review on 📚 Dominicana: An Optimized Novel by Jill Ellis

”, "House of Broken Angels” and "Book of Unknown Americans ". The story of Ana, a 15-year-old girl from the Dominican Republic who, in early 1965, was asked by Juan, twice her age, to marry and move to New York. Ana's family encourages this as Juan Ruiz and his brothers are aspiring businessmen and their father sees this as a way to win over the Ruizs. The novel is set in the United States and Dominican Republic in 1965, at a time of turmoil and civil unrest in both countries. The couple gets a small apartment in Harlem, and Juan convinces an already nervous Ana that she shouldn't leave the apartment or talk to strangers in such a dangerous new place. Ana is homesick as every day she dutifully waits for Juan to come home, cook his food and miss her family at home. She decides to run away to return home and is confronted by Caesar, Juan's brother, who convinces her to stay. When Juan returns to the Dominican Republic to protect the family's interests during the political turmoil, Ana begins exploring New York, learning the language and becoming close to Caesar. The Dominican Republic is a story of love and loss, hope and fear, the search for new beginnings. and longing for lost things. A wonderful and original story about an immigrant experience.